街市THE WET MARKET
Pig tail
豬尾
補腰腎（民間以形補形）strengthens sinews and bones膠質豐富
The pig's tail, chopped into rounds of skin, cartilage and bone with little meat but plenty of gelatin. Singed clean of hairs, blanched and boiled long, it lends soups a sticky, full body and a rich mouthfeel. The traditional partner of ba kik and dou chung in kidney-warming soups.
TCM properties
Nature · neutral Flavour · sweet、salty Meridians · kidney
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese folk food therapy pig tail is used to support the lower back and kidneys and strengthen sinews and bones, its rich gelatin being part of the appeal.
Cautions: read first
- High in fat and gelatin, so keep the portion moderate if you have high blood lipids or are watching your weight
- Go carefully if you have gout (purines in long-boiled meat soups)
- Ask the butcher to singe off the remaining hairs when you buy it
Preparation
Chop it into rounds, scrape off any hairs left on it and blanch it to draw out the blood foam.
Origin
Farmed on piggeries nationwide; a standard cut at Asian butchers. An ordinary Asian butcher item in Australia
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
